bread - Gluten Free Crusty French Baguette

By tinathorn

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon granulated cane sugar
• 2-1/4 teaspoons (1 packet) rapid rise yeast, gluten-free
• 1-1/4 cups very warm water
• 2-1/4 cups Jules Gluten Free All Purpose Flour
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• Cornmeal
• Milk (dairy or nondairy) or mixed egg wash for brushing on uncooked loaf (the milk will help to brown the loaf; an egg stirred with a tablespoon of water will make the loaf shiny and lightly browned)

Details

Servings 1
Adapted from glutenfreerecipebox.com

Preparation

Step 1

Prepare a proofing area to let your loaf rise; a good option is to place the loaf in a preheated 200°F oven after it has been turned off. If you have a baguette pan, line it with foil then spray with nonstick cooking spray and sprinkle with cornmeal. If you are using a cookie sheet instead, line it with foil and sprinkle cornmeal onto the foil, then line up two dowels or other forms to help keep the bread in the long thin shape while it’s rising and cooking; wrap these dowels with aluminum foil and spray all the foil with cooking oil.
In a small bowl, mix the sugar, yeast, and very warm water and set aside to proof for 5 minutes (if, after 5 minutes, the yeast is not bubbling, throw it out and start again with fresh yeast).
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the gluten-free flour and salt. With the beater blade or dough hook on your mixer, slowly work in the yeast mixture with the flour and salt.
Once fully integrated, beat an additional 2 minutes on medium-high. The dough will be very wet at this point.
Scoop the dough into a gallon-size zip-top bag with 2 inches cut from a bottom corner of the bag.
Squeeze the bag to remove the air then squeeze the dough through the cut hole to form one long loaf in your prepared baguette pan or in between your prepared dowels on the parchment-lined cookie sheet.
Gently brush the milk or mixed egg wash all over the exposed areas of the loaf with a pastry brush.
Cover the loaf with wax paper sprayed with cooking spray and set it in your warmed oven or other proofing spot for 20 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 400°F and place a baking pan with water onto the bottom shelf of the oven. Leave this pan in the oven during the baking process as well—the humidity created by this heated water will help the bread to form an extra crunchy crust.
Once risen, uncover the baguette and make 3 or 4 diagonal cuts into the dough with a serrated knife, cutting approximately 1/4 inch deep. Using a clean spray bottle, spritz the dough well with water before baking.
Bake for 20 minutes and brush the top of the bread with milk or egg wash again, then bake for 20 minutes more, or until a toothpick inserted into the bread comes out clean and the internal temperature of the bread is 205–210°F.
Remove from pan and cool on a wire rack until ready to serve.
Tips

While it is possible to roll this wet dough into a traditional baguette shape by hand, it is far easier to “cheat” and simply scoop the dough into a gallon-size zip-top bag, snip one bottom corner out, pipe the dough into a baguette pan, then just toss the bag for easy cleanup. Voila`!